The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-06-03
HARTFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Special Meeting at Darlington.
a Memoir OF the Elder Booth by Or. w.
stump EOrwoOd.

A special meeting of the Hartford Historical
Society was held in the Town Hall, Darlington,
on Tuesday evening The attendance was not
large, on account of the rain. valuable
memoir of Junus Brutus Booth, the great ira
gedan, which had been prepared by President
W. Stump Forwood of the request of the socie-
ty, was read by him. 1t is the most complete
and accurate biography Of the elder Booth that
has ever been written and will probably be
published in book form. The following is q
brief synopsis of DR.. Forwood's paper:
"Junius llrutus Booth was born at st. Pancras
London, on the first day of May 1895. His father,
Richard Booth, was respectable attorney and
solicitor, residing in Queen Street, bloomsbury,
and his mother was descendant of the celebrat-
He entered the British Navy as a midshipman,
but was dissuaded by his father from embarking
for America in vessel which, with nearly all
to the art of printing but abandoned this for the
study OF law. Next he took up painting, having
decided talent for drawing, and finally became
re won laurels on the stage not only ia England
but on the continent.
on the 18th OF JAM, 1921, he married Miss Mary
Anne Holmes, great beauty. In the same year
he and his wife and pied pony that he had pur-
chased on the Island of Madeira, and which
figured largely in connection with his history in
Hartford county afterwards, sailed for America
They landed at Norfolk. Va, on June 30, lS2l.
Was at Richmond, Va, July 10, 1921. He created
a marked impression and played at Petersburg
and in New York, whittier his fame had preceded
him.
bOoth first temporarily took up his residence
IN baltimore, and played at the leading theatres
from boston to charleston, Mobile and New
soon after coming to this country he took up
his residence in Hartford county, about tx miles
east of Bel Air. where he rented small house in
very secluded spot out of sight from the public
road. Alter occupying this house about three
acres to which he moved his little log house and
lived there tor q number of years, building a
very, neat and handsome stone cottage, in the
This he named TTdor 9eiGf s 6 nls 1eat9
ties were numerous and striking. One was that
the will OF Providence-to sacrifice animal life
for food. He therefore did not eat of meat him
n e his to dc be
notions of one of his fayerite authors, Shelley,
as expressed in Queen Nab"
Although not member of any church to the
close OF his life, yet 1t was his uniform practice
TO reverently remove his hat whenever he passed
any church, Of whatever denomination. Not
withstanding this show OF devoutness he at one
time made an effort, in which he was nearly
successful, to open the theatre and have regu-
lar performance at Annapolis on Sunday.
Booth divided his time between the character
of farmer in Hartford county and an actor at
the principal theatres throughout the United
country after coming to America, and then he
was received with great cordially and enthusi-
aSm.
Booth had ten children. Tho eldest, who was
| named for himself, was born at Charleston, s. c..
on the ed of December. 1921. Tho others were
al born on the farm in Hartford county. Several
The speaker presented much original matter
in the life of Booth, which he had procured from
Mrs. Elijah b. Rogers, now of Baltimore, but
who formerly was near neighbor of the Booth
family throughout their entire residence in Har-
ford county. being more intimately connected
with them than any one outside of the family
circle. She speaks in the highest terms of them
all. and especially refers to Mrs. Booth asa most
| lovely woman. The speaker continued:
In the latter part of his life, during the last ten
years, Booth remained more at his farm-seem-
ing to be careless of the fame and the large
revenue which his acting always yielded-for his
appearance upon the stage was always greeted
by large &c ana M appaseeiative audiences d1
Francisco with his son Edwin.
Booth suddenly resolved to return home, ex-
stage. lie arrived at New Orleans in November her
and performed in that city for six weeks
His last appearance was as Sir Edward Morti-
mer, in The Iron Chest and as John Lump.
Being greatly exhausted after the perform
ance,' says his bographer, lit is supposed that
he contracted cold, which grew rapidly worse.
He took passage for Cincinnati on the steamboat
j. s. Chenoweth, and, becoming feverish in q few
days, he drank freely Of the Mississippi water
which greatly increased his disorder. There was
no physician on board, nor had he any acquaint-
| ances with him. He kept his stateroom closely,
and his condition was only known to the stow
ard. His disease turned to consumption of
the bowels says his daughter, of which he died
on Tuesday, November30, 1852, at two o clock, p.
NJ. The steward of the vessel reported his last
words to have been. In a scarcely audible voice |:
Pray! pray prayr
His body was taken to Baltimore, and buried
with Masonic honors. He was first buried in the
baltimore Cemetery, but some years later, after
his son Edwins return from California, the body
was removed to Greenmount Cemetery, and q
handsome monument erected to his memory.
His wife died quite recently-30 years later-and
lies beside her husband. Also, John Wilkes and
the other deceased children, and his father
Richard Booth-all repose in the same lot.
THUS rose and set the most brilliant star that
ever shed light upon the American Stage"